Saskia Smits Email & Phone Number

Uithoorn, Nh, Nl

North Holland/Utrecht, Netherlands

Wide range of experience in Product Management * Product Development * Sr. Manager/Buyer * Category Management * Retail * Brand * Fashion * Interior * Sports * Accessories * Food * Collections.

PUM is a non- profit organization , who shares knowledge to strengthen businesses and improve lives. As volunteer I work with SME in emerging markets to create positive impact on the economy, environment and society and contribute to the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. Missions to Indonesia (Fashion company, Leather company, Consulting CEO Food & Fashion company. Additionally, giving workshops & presentations for Kadin, Business Administration Department FISIP UNPAS Bandung)., Zimbabwe (Trade organization) , Bangladesh (Bag & Basket company) and in Vietnam (Silk-company) .

Raamsdonksveer, Noord-Brabant, Nederland

Aug 21-Nov 23 Interim Product manager Meubelen KWANTUMJan 23-Nov 23 Interim Productmanager Meubelen KWANTUM en LEEN BAKKERJan 24 - Jun 24 Interim Inkoop Deco KWANTUM en LEEN BAKKER

Beijing City, China

BESTSELLER Fashion Group (Tianjin) CO., LTD. is an independent company and was established in 1996 with headquarter in Beijing, China. BESTSELLER markets currently 5 brands for the Chinese domestic market with own internal design & production teams: ONLY, JACK & JONES, VERO MODA, SELECTED and J.LINDEBERG in more than 300 cities with over 8000 concept stores. For more information, please visit the websites www.bestseller.com.cn or www.only.cn.ONLY, a womenswear brand of the Bestseller China, designs, develops and produces their collection within China (& Malaysia) , via their own retailstores (> 2'000 stores) and on-line channels

Beijing City, China

ONLY, a womenswear brand of the Bestseller China, designs, develops and produces their collection within China.In this role I'm responsible for product, planning, collection development and buying for ONLY China for + 2'000 stores China wide .- Managing a team of + 40 people. - Budget responsible, pricing and margin responsible, - line structure, collection planning (over 2'000 styles), annual calendar, - retailbuy ( over 10 bill. RMB) and budget responsible for long and short term ONLY collections incl. repeats (15%) and tests.- understanding market needs and trends and translate this in commercial products and collections that match the ONLY brand and for only.cn- Developing and launching new product lines like Spots and Homewear

Amsterdam Area, Netherlands

Restructuring and managing the Supertrash product development, buying and production department (Supertrash Women, St Girls, St denim, St accessories & Flash). Managing a team of 20 people. Reorganising the teams, implementing annual schedule, supplier management, quality management, line planning with as result increasing the business, improving the quality level and the margins.

Amsterdam

Heading up the Cool Cat/Wonder Women buying teams (Women/Men/Girls & Boys)

Temporarily managing the WW sourcing and product-development team of 20 people, 5 direct reports due to maternity leave of the current Director.Responsible for the total product development, sourcing and production for Women’s wear including Athletics and Runway

Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands

Project Director Runway, heading up the WW Runway departmentStructured the Runway collection Fall 2010/Spring 2011 shown in NYSet up systems and a team for the Runway production, design and product development.Service Hilfiger special developed styles/ campaign styles.

Managing the accessories team WW; Took over the responsibilities of the WW accessories team due to the unexpected leave of absence of the existing manager. Besides responsible for completing the Spring collection, also guided the execution of Fall orders and setting up the Summer season.

Implementing new processes due to organisational/management change with added focus on casual wearImplementing a consistent fit for WW pants casual and formal wearDeveloping and introducing the chino pants for THManaging and increasing overall morale of the team.

Set up short term collections for MW and WW to maximise open to buy.Set up systems and a team for Quick Response design and product development.Service TH own retail with special developed styles.Pants team: Achieved double digit growth in the pant (especially denims) business by reviewing the market needs. Visited all major markets.Organised the men’s and women’s team identically for consistency and effectiveness.Increased overall morale.

Managed and re-organised the buying, styling and sales departmentsRecruited a new teamIdentified a new target consumer groupTransformed retail from solely mono-brand to multi-brand destinations

Position: Division Manager Mexx Sport (2005 - 2007)Goal: Turn around strongly declining sales/turnover figures Responsible for the worldwide Mexx sport collection Heading up the Mexx sport team (design, product development, manufacturing and retail buying) Responsible for all Mexx Sport products (quarterly sports collection with different user moments, specials and “Noos”)

- Headed up the HR department for all of Mexx and Liz Claiborne, Lucky Brand Jeans and Monet- Attracted, recruited and retained international design talent- Supervised the Mexx re-organization during the latter part of 2004 and beginning 2005.

Set up short term collections 12 times a year to maximise open to buyResponsibility also included bringing the latest trends to market that were otherwise not captured by the main collectionsDeveloped a full team of 18 employees to address the Women's, Men's and Youth businessPurchased all exclusive collections for Mexx owned retail destinations

Responsible for the additional buying of self-owned Mexx retail shops (Men and Women)The success of this program resulted in the formation of Mexx Express

1996 – 1999 WE InternationalPosition: Buyer (1997 – 1999) Responsible for the buying of various packages (blouses en pants) from different purchasing countries (Hong Kong, India, The Netherlands, Eastern Europe). Position: Junior Buyer WE Women (1996-1997)Tasks: Supporting the buyer “city” (both CMT and full product buying) and independently run the “basic pants” package.

Position: Buying of materials for the Russian collection (1995 - 1996)Tasks: Responsible for and improvement of all bought materials of the largest collection. Material sourcing at fairs in the Far East (Hong Kong, Korea and Taiwan).Manage the swatch division. Build up a new and younger collection. Link between design and production in order to improve the collection/end product. Position: Production supervision in Indonesia (1994 - 1995)Tasks: Quality and delivery time control of the clothing production in Indonesia. Improve the existing production in Semarang en build up the production in a new factory in Bogor.

Managed buyer expectationsResponsible for the office; Responsibilities also included follow-up, quality and on-time delivery

Textile Management, Business Administration And Management, General

Yes